First Touch
Directional Touch Cones: Shadow Pressure
Take the first touch in a chosen direction
First Touch
Receiving
Dribbling
Directional Touch Cones: Shadow Pressure is a 12-minute first touch drill for 3-16 players, suitable for Under 8 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.
Back to drill libraryFirst Touch
Receiving
Dribbling
Technical Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Opposed
Under Pressure
Game Realistic
Duration
12 min
Players
3-16
Pitch size
12 x 12 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Objectives
- -Take the first touch in a chosen direction
- -Move the ball out of the feet
- -Link touch to the next pass
Setup
- 1Four coloured cones around a central working cone.
- 2Server ten yards away with a supply of balls.
- 3Working player at the central cone.
Coaching instructions
- 1Coach calls a colour as the ball travels.
- 2The receiver takes their first touch towards that cone then passes back.
- 3Ten reps then rotate.
- 4A shadow defender applies half pressure and can win the ball only after the first touch.
Coaching points
- -Angle the receiving surface towards the target
- -Touch into space, not into the feet
- -Head up as the ball travels
- -Take the touch away from pressure
- -Protect the ball with the far foot and body
Common mistakes
- -Two touches when one is enough
- -Late decision so the touch is heavy
- -Body closed to one side